Salt substitute

ABSTRACT

TABLE SALT CAN BE SUBSTITUTED WITH A PALATABLE COMPOSITION CONSISTING ESENTIALLY OF, ON A RELATIVE PROPORTION BASIS, ABOUT 20 TO 80 PERCENT BYN WEIGHT OF POTASSIUM CHLORIDE AND ABOUT 80 TO 20 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF SODIUM CHLORIDE. THE COMPOSITION IS CHARACTERIZED IN HAVING A BITTER TASTE TO NOT MORE THAN ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF THE POPULATON AND IN HAVING A SALTINESS TASTE GREATER THAN AN EQUAL QUALITY OFMTHE SODIUM CHLORIDE COMPONENT ALONE.

April 23, 1974 R. L. FRANK ETAL Re. 27, 981

SALT SUBSTITUTE Original Filed Jan. 16, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 POTASSIUM CHLORIDE ALONE F lg. 1

POTASSIUM CHLORIDE IN COMBINATION \WITH SODIUM CHLORIDE POTASSIUM CHLORIDE oos 0.050 0.75 O O oIs O.l5O oIv s 0.2O o.2'25 0.250 O.?5 030 0,325 0350 03575 0.40% SODIUM CHLORIDE O.|O O.|O O.|O O.Io O.IO O.IO O.Io O.l0 0J0 O.IO 0.0 cm 0.10 O.Io o.Io o.IO

o o o 0 o 0 cu N m In wt 8 N 9 INVENTORS ROBE/77L. FRANK 8311's BY OLAF M/CKELSE/V SNLLHOdElH NOllVlfidOd .LNBQHBd pLEm/v, NEUMAA/ SE/BOLD 8 W/LL/AMS ATTORNEYS 00 ..II.I....I..QI/.....Q 0000.000...

April 23, 1974 SALT SUBSTITUTE Original Filed Jan. 16, 1967 0.2% A/aC/ ,0./%/VOCL Fig. 2

o o O O O o: co rw SSBNLFIVS OBONVHNB SNLLHOcIHH NOLLV'IFIdOd .LNBOHHd R. L. FRANK EFAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1.62 5 im s I72 Th5 his 1.2 1.2 75 [.323 {.375 .I5

%KCl .025 L075 L INVENTORS ROBERT L. FRANK BY OLAFM/CKELSE/V PE/VDLETON, IVEUMA/V SE/BOLD 8 W/LLMMS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 27,981 SALT SUBSTITUTE Robert L. Frank, Lake Geneva, Wis., and Olaf Mickelsen, Okemos, Mich., assignors to Morton-Norwich Products, Inc., Chicago, III.

Original No. 3,514,296, dated May 26, 1970, Ser. No. 609,396, Jan. 16, 1967. Application for reissue Mar. 22, 1972, Ser. No. 237,208

Int. Cl. A231 1/22 US. Cl. 99143 7 Clalms Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in the original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to edible compositions comprising potassium chloride and sodium chloride for use as palatable condiments for comestibles, as substitutes for common table salt, as a convenient means of introducing potassium into the diet where medically indicated, and to the process for producing said compositions.

There are a number of human disease conditions for which medical science prescribes a low sodium diet. These involve congestive heart failure, hypertension, renal disease, cirrhosis of the liver, toxemias of pregnancy and Menieres disease (Sodium-Restricted Diets, Food and Nutrition Board, National Research Council, Publication 325 (1954)). There is also a body of literature which suggests that diets high in sodium actually cause the condition known as hypertension. There are, for this reason, asserted advantages for low sodium diets even for ostensibly normal healthy individuals (Dahl, L. K., American Journal Clinical Nutrition, 6(1), 1-7 (1958)).

Another factor in the etiology of these pathological conditions, known since the time of Von Bunge (Von Bunge, G., Physiologische Chemie, 3rd ed., Leipsig, 1894), and described more fully in the recent literature (Meneely, G. R., and Ball, C. O. T., American Journal of Medicine, 25, 713-725 (1958)) is that the dietary intake of potassium ion is also important from a nutritional and physiological point of view. Indeed, the ratio of sodium to potassium in the diet and in the body fluids appears to be at least as important as the intake of sodium alone. For example, a high intake of sodium chloride, which may be harmful in a disease such as hypertension, appears to be not harmful at all if a potassium salt is also included in the diet. Priddle has shown that hypertensive pateients improved in health rapidly when potassium tartrate was administered orally (Priddle, W. W., Canadian Medical Association Journal, 25, 5-8 (1931)).

Others in the medical field have found that there is a physiological relation between sodium and potassium, the one ion, in many bodily reactions, counteracts the other.

Potassium deficiencies in the diet are commonplace and are caused in part by the refining of foods, in part by over-cooking, and in part by the exclusion from the diet of leafy green vegetables, a particularly rich source of potassium. Some clinical conditions which have their genesis in potassium deficiencies are overall muscle weak- 'ice ness, hypotension, weak extremities, poor intestinal tone with intestinal distension, cardiac weakness, weakness of respiratory muscles even to the point of ultimate failure. To combat these conditions, a variety of enteric-coated tablets of potassium chloride and various potassium supplements have been made available by the pharmaceutical industry.

Restriction of sodium intake and increases of potassium intake have therefore been prescribed as therapeutic measures for the treatment of the above described clinical conditions. Where restriction of sodium in the diet is the primary objective, a dietary regimen in which sodium chloride is entirely excluded is usually prescribed. This approach is generally not very satisfactory over a prolonged period of time because of the lack of acceptability by the patient of a bland, unpalatable diet. This has led to the development of a variety of salt substitutes which contain no sodium chloride and still have varying degrees of salinity to the taste buds. Among the various salt substitutes which have been used for this purpose, most contain potassium chloride and ammonium chloride. However, potassium chlorides and ammonium chloride per se have disagreeable, bitter aftertastes and an adverse gustatory effect which detract markedly from their voluntary acceptance and use. In addition, ammonium chloride upon ingestion, because of its excessive acidity tends to produce acidiosis by disturbing the acid-base balance in the blood.

Potassium chloride, in the form of enteric-coated pills, has been prescribed for many patients to prevent the disturbing symptoms associated with a deficiency of potassium ion. This concentrated form of potassium chloride has recently been shown to produce intestinal ulceration. All studies indicate that this condition does not occur when potassium chloride is consumed in smaller doses with meals by sprinkling on food.

To mask or overcome the bitter taste of potassium chloride, an assortment of diluents, additives or adjuncts have been proposed. Among the many additives which have been employed are potassium and calcium formate, magnesium citrate, dipotassium succinate, and a variety of citrates, tartrates, gluconat-es, ascorbates, cyclamates, glutamates and ion exchange resins. One drawback inherent in the use of these additives is that the true salty or zesty flavor associated with salt is lost or impaired. Another drawback is that many of these additives stratify or segregate due to the dissimiliarity in crystal structure and density between the additive and the potassium or ammonium chloride.

Accordingly, it would therefore be desirable to provide a condiment composition containing potassium chloride which composition has a true salty taste and is free of a bitter taste to a majority of the population.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel palatable substitute for table salt which substitute contains potassium chloride and also retains the salty taste associated with sodium chloride.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a palatable substitute for salt which substitute incorporates potassium chloride without the attendant bitter taste which a significant segment of the population detects in potassium chloride.

It is further object of the present invention to provide a palatable saline condiment for comestibles incorporating potassium chloride which resists segregation or stratification upon storage, agitation or handling.

It is still further object of the present invention to provide a palatable saline condiment for comestibles which has the above mentioned qualities and which may be readily and easily prepared without resort to laborious and complicated manufacturing procedures.

The fulfillment of these and other objects of this invention may be more readily appreciated by reference to the following specification, examples and appended claims.

Accordingly, in one broad form, the foregoing and other objects of this invention are attained by a composition which comprises from about to 80 weight percent of potassium chloride in admixture with from about 80 to about 20 weight percent of sodium chloride. To state the weight relationships differently, the compositions of this invention comprise from about /4 part to about 4 parts by weight of potassium chloride per part of sodium chloride.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the composition comprises from about 40 to 60 weight percent of potassium chloride and from about 60 to about 40 weight percent of sodium chloride. This corresponds to from about /3 to about 1 /2 parts of potassium chloride per part of sodium chloride.

The surprising and unexpected nature of this discovery can be appreciated by reference to the literature which abundantly reports the fact of the bitter taste of potassium chloride and ammonium chloride, and the multiplicity of additives, other than sodium chloride, which have been used to ameliorate this unpleasant taste. The fact that a combination of potassium chloride and sodium chloride, in the indicated proportions, provides a synergistic or enhanced reduction in bitterness to a significant segment of the population over that of potassium chloride alone is unexpected and entirely unpredictable. The reduction in bitter taste of the aforementioned compositions is greater that can be accounted for by the dilutive effect of sodium chloride. In addition, it was also unexpectedly discovered that the compositions of the present invention have an enhanced salty taste over sodium chloride alone.

The compositions of the present invention are prepared by thoroughly and efliciently admixing the components in the indicated proportions until a homogeneous product is attained. A homogeneous nonsegregating composition is provided since sodium chloride and potassium chloride are similar in crystal structure, both belonging to the cubic system; they have similar specific gravities, so that mixtures do not lose their homogeneity; the refractive indices of the crystals are similar, so that individual crystals of sodium and potassium chlorides look alike; and the water solubilities of sodium chloride and potassium chloride are net greatly ditferent. Interestingly, and of practical value in this invention, because potassium has a higher atomic weight than sodium, a mixture with a given ratio of sodium chloride to potassium chloride will have a lower ratio of sodium to potassium. This is shown in the following table:

PERCENTAGES AND RATIOS OF NaCl, KC], Na AND K*' IN VARIOUS MIXTURES Thus, combinations of potassium chloride and sodium chloride, comprising from about 20 to about 80 Weight percent of potassium chloride, and from about 80 to about 20 weight percent of sodium chloride, actually represent from about 10.5 to about 42.0 weight percent of potassium ions and correspondingly from about 31.4 to about 7.8 percent of sodium ion. It is thus evident that the aforementioned combinations of potassium chloride and sodium chloride provide ratios of potassium ion to sodium ion which vary from a low of about 1:3 to a high of about 5.4: 1, thereby furnishing greater relative quantities of potassium ion than is apparent from the indicated proportions of potassium chloride and sodium chloride.

To arrive at a quantitative determination of that proportion of the population which detects a decreased bitterness and enhanced saltiness phenomenon exhibited by the above indicated combinations of potassium chloride and sodium chloride, statistically sound taste panel evaluations were carried out: (1) on sodium chloride alone to establish the minimum concentration of sodium chloride which can be detected as salty by a majority of the population; (2) on potassium chloride alone to establish the minimum concentration of potassium chloride which can be detected as bitter by a majority of the population; (3) on mixtures of sodium chloride and potassium chloride containing a relative percent of potassium chloride and sodium chloride ranging from 20 to weight percent of potassium chloride and from 80 to 20 weight percent of sodium chloride to establish the proportion of the population classifying such mixtures as bitter and as having enhanced saltiness when compared to sodium cholride alone.

The following test procedure and examples illustrate more fully the quantitative determination of reduced bitterness and enhanced saltiness of the compositions of the present invention.

EXAMPLE I Procedure for determining saltiness taste threshold for sodium chloride Aqueous solutions of pure sodium chloride were prepared containing 0.025% NaCl, 0.05% NaCl, 0.10% NaCl and 0.20% NaCl, respectively.

A five-milliliter portion of each of these solutions was given repetitively to each member of a six-member tastetest panel for his or her taste evalution. The solutions were coded and not otherwise identified to the panelists.

Each panel member rinsed his mouth with water thoroughly after each taste test. The saltiness of each solution was noted and compared with the preceding solution and rated in increasing order of saltiness.

The results are set forth in Table I.

TABLE I.SALTINESS TASTE THRESHOLD FOR NaCl Concentration of Percent panelists rating solution sodium chloride, percent: saltier than water These results demonstrate that the taste threshold for edged to have a bitter taste to a majority of the population. i.e., more than percent, is at a sodium cholride concentration of 0.10 percent. This concentration of sodium chloride was therefore the minimum selected for combination with potassium chloride in subsequent taste evaluations.

EXAMPLE II Procedure for determining taste threshold for potassium chloride As hereinbefore stated, potassium chloride is acknowledged to have a bitter taste to a majority of the population. To evaluate this on a quantitative basis, solutions of pure potassium chloride were prepared containing 0.025%, 0.064%, 0.075%, 0.15%, and 0.256% potassium chloride. The taste testing procedure followed was the same as that set forth for sodium chloride. The results obtained appear in Table II.

Concentration of potassium chloride percent:

Percent panelists rating solution bitter It is evident from this tabulation that the admixture afiords an enhanced or synergistic decrease in bitterness over that which would be expected from the individual bitterness contributions of the separate components. Thus,

for example 0% of the population classifies 0.10% NaCl 0975 68 alone as bitter and 67 of the population classifies 74 0.064% I (Cl alone as b1tter. Yet when a solution is pre 0256 83 paged whichbcontams bothlti.0%f IiaCl and 0.064% of in com ination, on y 0 o t e popu ation c assi- It is thus evident that a concentration of KCl in excess fi this ombin ti n a bitter. of about 0.025% is required before a significant pr P The data presented in Table IV are depicted graphically tion of the population can detect its presence. It is further in FIG, 1, A ho n i FIG ,1, the b oke lin graph evident that a substantial majority of the population clasrepresents a p10t of th percent f the population desifies as bitter the taste of potassium chloride when it is tccting a bitter taste versus the concentration of potassium present in excess of about 0.025%. chloride; the solid line represents a plot of the percent EXAMPLE In of the population detecting a bitter taste versus the indicated concentrations of potassium chloride in admixture Determination of bitterness of combinations of potassium i h 0,10% di hl id respectively A i id t chloride and sodium chloride determiations from the graph, the combinations of potassium chloride In accordance with the lower taste threshold determil 'l cmonde provide composmons Whch i nations for both sodium chloride and potassium chloride, bitter to a s lgmficamiy smallerfiegmem of the popultlon respectively, solutions were prepared containing ad i than potassium chlorlde alone in comparable propornons. tures of 0.10% sodium chloride with 0.025% KCl, 0.06% As PTEWQQSIY Stated Other P F Q attribute of KC], 0.15% KCl, and 0.40% Kcl, respectively. Each of the the Present mvemloq h 9 these solutions was evaluated for palatability with respect harmed Saltmes' advanlage, was Surprlsmg VIEW of to bittcmess by the taste testing procedure hereinbefore the expected b1tterness contr1but1on by the potassium chlodescribed for pure sodium chloride. The results appear nde mmponetltin Table The following taste test procedure was employed to evaluate quant1tat1vely the enhanced salty taste of the compositions of this invention: TABLE III Percent Detegminztiog ofdss ltt inessfenhancementhof sgdium c on e a 110m 0 otassium c ori e Concen- Conceny p gfiggg percent Nammd Asbefore, aqueous solutions containing 0.10% sodium chloride and 0.025% KCl, 0.064% KCl, 0.15% KCl and 818 81%: 28;; 2% 95: 0.40% KCl, respectively, were prepared and evaluated 0.10 0.15 NaGi, K01. 12 for saltiness taste by the following method: 20% M01307 24 A five-milliliter portion of each of these solutions was 40 Igliven rfipetitively tol each mgrlrliber lof a taste-test panel for 1s or er taste eva uat1on. e so utions were coded and Comparing the results set forth in Table III with those not otherwise identified to the panelists. obtained for the corresponding solution of potassium chlo- Each panel member rinsed his mouth with water thorride alone in Table II, there is observed a marked decrease oughly after each taste test. The saltiness of each soluin bitterness of the admixture of potassium chloride and tion containing the atoredescribed combinations of sosodium chloride over potassium chloride per se. A direct dium chloride and potassium chloride was noted and comcomparison between the bitterness of admixtures of popared with a solution containing 0.10% sodium chloride. tassium chloride and sodium chloride and that of potas- The solutions were then rated in increasing order of saltsium chloride per se is provided by Table IV. iness.

TABLE IV Actual Expected eiassiclassi- Concen Concentlcatton fleatlon tration tration as bitter as bitter of N 2101, of K01, Relative percent of NaCl (percent (percent Syner- Percent percent percent and KCl in mixture population) population) gisrn l synergism I .025 80% NaCl, 20% K0 0. 004 NaCl, 40% KCL 0.15 40% NaOl, 00% KCl 0.40 20% NaC1,80% KC] 1 Calculated by subtracting the Actual from the Expected." Calculated from the following expression:

(Expected-Actual) X100.

xpected l Percent population rating solution saltlcr than a 0.10% sodium chloride solution.

The above taste evaluation test was repeated using an aqueous solution containing 0.15% sodium chloride in admixture with 0.038% KCl, 0.099% KCl, 0.225% KCl, and 0.60% KCl, respectively. The results obtained are set forth in Table VI.

TABLE VI Actual Actual percent percent Percent NaCl and E61 in Saltmess, NaC K01 mixture percent 0.15 0.038 80 NaCl,20KC1 0.15 0.099 60NaCl,40 KC 0.15 0.60 20NaCl,80KCl 100 The above taste evaluation test was repeated using an aqueous solution containing 0.2% sodium chloride in admixture with 0.05% KCl, 0.133% KCl, 0.30% KCl, and 0.80% KC], respectively. The results are set forth in Table VII.

TABLE VII Actual Actual percent percent Percent NaCl and K01 1n Saltiness, NaCl KCl mixture percent 0.20 100 NaCl 0. 20 0. as 80 NeCl, 20 KOl 14 0. 20 0. 183 60 NaCl, 40 KCL. 86 0. 20 0. 30 40 NaCl, 60 KGL. 100 0. 20 0. 80 20 NaCl, 80 KCL. 100

These results demonstrate that a preponderant majority of the population detects a saltier taste in the compositions of the present invention ban in sodium chloride alone. The data of Tables V, VI, and VII are depicted graphically in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the solid line graph represents a plot of the percent of the population detecting enhanced saltiness versus the indicated concentration of potassium chloride in combination with 0.10% sodium chloride. The dashed line graph represents a plot of the percent of the population detecting enhanced saltiness versus the indicated concentration of potassium chloride in combination with 0.15% sodium chloride. The dotted line graph represents a plot of the percent of the population detecting enhanced saltiness versus the indicated concentrations of potassium chloride in combination with 0.20% sodium chloride.

While several particular embodiments of this invention are shown above, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made and it is contemplated, therefore, by the appended claims, to cover such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

We claim:

1. A [culinaryl] seasoning salt composition of matter consisting essentially of on a relative proportion basis, from about 20 to about 80 percent by weight of potassium chloride and from about 80 to about 20 percent by weight of sodium chloride.

2. A [culinary] seasoning salt composition of matter according to claim 1 wherein on a relative proportion basis the concentration of potassium chloride is about 20 percent, and the concentration of sodium chloride content is about 80 percent.

3. A [culinary]seasoning salt composition of matter according to claim 1 wherein on a relative proportion basis the potassium chloride content is about 40 percent and the sodium chloride content is about percent.

4. A [culinary] seasoning salt composition of matter according to claim 1 wherein on a relative proportion basis the potassium chloride content is about 50 percent and the sodium chloride content is about 50 percent.

5. A [culinary] seasoning salt composition of matter according to claim 1 wherein on a relative proportion basis the potassium chloride content is about 60 percent and the sodium chloride content is about 40 percent.

6. [culinary] seasoning salt composition of water according to claim 1 wherein on a relative proportion basis the potassium chloride content is about percent and the sodium chloride content is about 20 percent.

7. The method of inhibiting the bitter taste of potassium chloride for at least about 80 percent of the population and providing a [culinary] seasoning salt composition having a saltiness taste greater than an equal quantity of the sodium chloride component alone comprising admixing sodium chloride and potassium chloride to form a composition consisting essentially of on a relative proportion basis from about 20 to about 80 percent by weight of sodium chloride with from about 80 to about 20 percent by weight of potassium chloride until a homogeneous mass is produced.

References Cited The following references, cited by the Examiner, are of record in the patented file of this patent or the original patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,978,040 10/1934 Daitz 99143 2,742,366 4/1956 Power 99l43 DAVID M. NAFF, Primary Examiner Patent No. 7.981 Dated April 25, 197A lnventofls) Robert L. Frank and Olaf Mickelsen It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 59 "pateients" should be atients";

Column 2, line 22 "chlorides" should be "chloride";

Column 3, line 31 First word in this line should be "than" instead of "that";

Column 3, line 46 The third word in this line should be "not" instead of "net";

Column 4, lines 57 The first sentence of this paragraph and 58 should read as follows:

"These results demonstrate that the taste threshold for sodium chloride for the vast majority of the population, 1. p

more than 90 percent, is at a sodium chloride concentration of 0.10 percent.

Column 7, line 44 Insert the letter "2" in front of "han" so that the word reads "than"; Column 8, Claim 6. Insert the word "a" in front of the bracketed word "''ulinary". In the same line, the word "water" should be changed to "matter".

Signed and sealed this 7th day of January 1975 (SEAL) Attest:

I'IcCOY E 'I. GI BSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attestlng Officer Commissioner of Patents U 5 GOVIHININT PRIIIY NG OFFICE 1 9 I 930 

